This is definitely not your parent’s hippie-mobile from the late ’70s. Nor is it your older sister’s girly-mobile from the early 2000s. The newly redesigned 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is more sporty, more sophisticated, more pure car than that. Yet, somehow, the Beetle-ness of the vehicle remains.
On the outside, the new Beetle is longer (by 6 inches) and wider (by 3.3 inches) than it’s predecessor. More importantly: it is sleeker. No longer does a VW Beetle look like a box driving down on the highway.
Inside, the new Beetle sports bucket seats and a GPS/stereo touchscreen. Happily, the ridiculous speedometer in the middle console has been replaced by an excellent behind-the-steering-wheel display that’s similar to other VW vehicles.
As for underneath the hood . . . see more
The Stowaway Bathtub is one of those takes on a common household item that’s simple and ingenious at the same time. At first glance the tub looks like, well, a normal bathtub. Look closer, though, and you’ll notice what appear to be handles for pull-out drawers around the tub’s edge. Those handles are for tilt back storage areas that can hold shampoo, wash clothes and anything else you’d need while taking a bath. Very cool.
The Stowaway was developed by GW International and will hopefully go on sale soon.
There aren’t many camera tripods that will let you affix an SLR camera to a vertical wall and that will fit inside a shirt pocket. The Monster Pod Tripod Stand is one of them. This wondrous camera stand was included by Spot Cool Stuff in their review of the best gifts for photographers under $50. That’s because the Monster Pod can stick to virtually any surface, from objects with rough inconsistent textures (such as tree bark) to things smooth and round (like a flag pole). Despite that grippy-ness, the Monster Pod easily peels off when pulled from its edges. $29
What graphic designer doesn’t like a good Photoshop pun? Especially when it comes together with a cool Photoshop icon. Oh, Crop clothing delivers that combo in a choice of styles—including womens and kids t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and tank tops—in a variety of graphic designer-friendly colors.
For an especially croppy look, we suggest paring your shirt with an Oh, Crop coffee mug.
What wine would you pair with a meal of Giant Toasted Leafcutter Ants? A sommelier might know—if that sommelier also happened to be aboriginal from South or Central America That’s where giant ants are a delicacy. Fortunately (or unfortunately), you needn’t trek through the jungles of Colombia to treat your taste buds. Simply head to the vondrous ThinkGeek store. They describe the toasted ants as having a nutty-bacon taste. But we think they taste like chicken. $20
The perfect time. The perfect espresso beans. The perfect amount of steamed milk and foam. The transparent Perfect Italian Caffe Latte Mug displays them all. £16.50, shipped worldwide from England
